Hi Champ,I am sure everybody is going to be very happy with the improved QSL bureau service, especially those who cannot attend the regular meetings. Posting cards should be much easier on you too and is generally the method used by most other ham radio organizations.

Anyway here are my suggestions for getting this supported. I think you need a few rules to keep everyone in order.

1. All members wishing to receive incoming bureau cards must supply the QSL bureau with a number of stamped self addressed envelopes.

2. Any number up to a maximum of say 10 envelopes.

3. All envelopes should be numbered 1 to x where x is the last one and also says

Thanks for your suggestion, I agree with you that everybody is going to be very happy my wife and I am happy to do so. Since I've been QSL Manager for a lots of HAMs and also I used to be RAST QSL Bureau for a long times and quite for 2 terms after Khun Hans,HS0/KA3TDZ slient key. Meanwhile I've been running private bureau QSL out going since 1996. I don't think I need any stamped and self addressed envelopes. Because, I've used database systems to track most of HAMs address and easy to print out to standard envelopes that I have in stock (I always buy a big box of envelope). I will keep update my website at http://www.e21eic.net to show picture of my QSL bureau room at my house and also any other interesting topic too. Include activities of incoming and outgoing track as possible as I can. Please keep visit my website.

All the postage cost was from my own pocket but I'm happy to do so. I think It's same as when you fix the radio to HAM's friend I've notice that you never charge them for any.

In addition the spirit of Thai's HAMs are differences from American's HAMs or any other country which always do sponsor for the volunteer who take the job from them as their hobbies. In case of who would like to sponsor, I think I prefer to received money credits rather than SASEs since they are easier to keep track of, postage rate changes are much less of a hassle, and we can use exactly the postage which is needed for each shipment.

For some oversea HAM who came to operate in HS, after they return to their country and their QSL still keep coming to RAST QSL bureau. I will have to keep track for all of their cards and ship direct to their country. In this case I need them to sponsor for their QSL shipping charge by use PayPal.

Some Thai's HAM was discredit RAST QSL bureau and I do not want to see the following messge from them, but they keep put it in their profile from www.qrz.com

The following was copies from their profile.

- Thanks to all of you to worked and exchanged the qsl cards with me. my last DXCC endorsement is 337.I still need :KP1.For MY#1DXCC HONOR ROLL.Do not worry, I will returning qsl card direct very quickly.I prefer qsl's direct.Sorry NO BURO. Because,I Do not get any QSL CARDs via RAST'S BUREAU. Xxxxxxx Post office is save for IRC & GREEN STAMP .Please enclosed an ENVELOP with your returning address

- QSL: No Qsl Manager!! Qsl Direct Only+SAE+2IRC,2$. Thanks.

- No reply qsl any more talking only....NO QSL AT ALL. NO NO QSL qsl no buro 73

I better wish to received a confirmed message from them who really do not want to received QSL card VIA bureau instead of discredit RAST QSL Bureau VIA their profile through out the world. If I received the confirm message I will return all QSL from Bureau back to sender.

However, I've found some tough case that they come to RAST meeting only to select and take new band (WARC) QSL cards from my box during RAST meeting and leave the normal band for me to return to sender.

I've a lot of Thai's QSL bureau stories, if you interesting I will tell you day by day...

Yes I figured that you would have this pretty much under control but a couple of points that many people see as very important. Cash money is a dangerous subject, people get scared, even for 100 baht. It's not really so much about the money but more the principle. For this reason they see postage stamps as a more secure and trusting medium. I don't know how often the internal postage rate changes here but I think it is rarely.

Yes, I never charge for repair I think if I should charge it would be better to stop. That is why I do only HF radio. Sometime though if need expensive parts like PA transistors they have to be paid for but for small parts I have a good junk box.

For uncollected cards there seems no need to return them to the sender, this strikes me as very unusual. Normally if bureau cards are not collected in say 6-9 months they should be destroyed. If the receiver is not interested to get them then you should not have to bother with them more.

I take your point about WARC only cards, seems strange, I would have thought collecting all cards is not more difficult than just the WARC ones but at least if you change the process so that everybody gets cards in the mail rather than at the RAST meetings it makes it fairer and you get to post ALL cards not just WARC.

Again, as for the foreign ops they should also know the rules about the QSL bureau and what will happen to their cards if they don't provide support, may be they are not really that bothered. Either way if you try to support this by yourself or receive funding from other people for this service I think you will have even more problems (complaints) Get some basic rules written down and posted on the RAST web site for all to see and I'm sure everyone who is interested to receive cards will follow them.

I think you best keep your QSL bureau stories for now, hi hi! I think you have chosen a tough job and I wish you every strength. I think it is a job with many complaints and too few congratulations.

HS0ZIF

Some years ago I was the president of the club that ran the incoming W1 QSL bureau (prior to YCCC taking it over). I was also the "K" sorter (all calls with the letter K after the "1").

At first we had the system where people sent in postage and envelopes - but this was *very* difficult to administer. I had to maintain a box of all the odd-sized envelopes for each member and the loose postage. Although sorting cards took some time - the largest amount of time was really spent finding the envelopes, figuring out the postage, etc.

So I (as a sorter) personally changed and told each person only send funds. We sold envelopes at $0.10 each and postage at face value. I kept a little database on my computer and printed a small piece of paper which was put in each mailing - letting the bureau member know what their status was. This made it very easy.

The YCCC sponsored incoming W1 QSL bureau has software that each sorter uses which basically does the same thing. If you have any need or interest in that I can help further off-line ... just let me know. Kudos and thanks for taking on the effort of running the Thai bureau!